Hearing all the wool festivals chatter is making me thing I should plan a vacation around one next year. I'll be visiting Washington in a few weeks, I'm looking forward to visiting some LYS.
All you said was very interesting. Like you I try to live as green and sustainable a life as I can. Striving to learn. I have to say I feel that there is a lot of green wash going on with all the cellulose yarns. The viscose and rayons are as you said so toxic but the core material can be quite green. I steer away from any viscose, I love the idea of felted tweed especially with their amazing colours but at my grand old age :) I feel that it's ok not to have a lovely thing. I will live. There are lovely yarns everywhere that fit my way of life better. Same with the superwash ones. And I hear you about the pilling merino. Such a pain. Anyway, so lovely to hear about your projects. Enjoy the autumn. Catherine
Thanks, Catherine! I have to say that even when you try very hard to get accurate information about a yarn and know how to do research, it is not easy to find it! And you are so wise to point out that it is okay not to have a lovely thing which I accept in most other areas of life. A friend of mine once said you can "own it" while you look at it or hold it. I love hearing from you.
I enjoyed your podcast. Thanks for sharing how the yarn preformed after wearing it awhile. We always hear about how great a yarn is to knit with but not the longtime wearability of it. I too was a jealous watching Selma & the others take a weekend trip to wool show in Vermont. I haven’t been able to travel too much because I take care of my 97 year old Dad. Be sure you do some video of your Oregon Fiber show.
Hello Kathy. I’ve been enjoying listening to you and seeing your knits. Even though I’m across the water in the U.k.I still like hearing about your local yarn. The pressed flower cardigan is so beautiful and I look forward to seeing yours.
i enjoyed watching today, as always. thanks for the information on superwash yarns. i should’ve known that plastic was used. such a sorry state of affairs…plastic everywhere. well, thankfully we have alternatives. happy fall, kathy - it means more knitting! 🍂🍁🧶
I've been wanting to knit the Pressed Flowers shawl for a while now, but, like you, am now thinking of doing the cardigan...it's pretty sweet looking. This past 18 months I think the biggest lesson I've learned is that I should pay attention and steer away from superwash. There's the environmental reasons, of course, but also my dissatisfaction with the end product. Two examples...last year I did the Stephen West MKAL with a superwash kit...lovely to work with and very pretty. But...for an already large shawl, it just keeps getting bigger and bigger! The same with my Magnolia Bloom sweater....I was so looking forward to that sweater, and I loved knitting it. I used Malabrigo Rios. Even just wearing it twice, it stretched so that the lovely yoke was soon below my bust. I resorted to washing it and drying slightly in the machine. It shrunk bit too much, but I can still wear it around the house...plus it felted slightly. I am knitting this year's MKAL with a beautiful non-superwash, 70%wool/30%mohair, and I'm loving it. I'm going to take a look at that scarf pattern you mention...sounds good!
Wow, Sandra! Those shawls are already so big, which is what has stopped me from joining the MKAL. And your Magnolia Bloom! What a gorgeous design. You are making a good choice this year with your MKAL yarn. I think blends are really a great way to go.
Kathy thank you for your podcasts i realy enjoy listening to you. I live in Tasmania an island south of mainland Australia. We are best known for apple growing and fine merino wool.Merino wool was and the sheep are bread for a low micron count mean super fine wool used in fine suite fabric . It has fine and short stapple so this is where the pilling comes from.Merino wool was never intended for outdoor garments. It is only used now for knitting in our quest for softer and softer wool. It is fein for shawls or garments with little rubbing but for jumpers and cardigans you are better of with a wool blend. I hope this info helps
Hi Kathy! Enjoy listening to your knitting journey😊. Was hoping to hear an update on your Útivist, since I just happened to buy yarn with that jacket on mind. Have fun at the Oregon Sheep and Wool festival.
I love the pattern but haven't gotten past the dreaming stage. The designer wrote a wonderful introduction to the pattern that made me laugh. It's her description of the fabric, which is Icelandic wool. Beautiful sweater!
I really enjoyed your conversation about yarn content and how yarns are processed. I am trying to use more natural yarns. I have mainly knit baby sweaters over the years so lots of acrylic or washable blends). My skin is really sensitive, so many woolly wools just don’t work for me if I actually plan to wear things next to skin. It’s a challenge that I keep working on to find the perfect yarn for me.
Jennifer, this year I've found myself using more nonsuperwash blends, which has been fun to explore. Also, some wools are just a lot softer by nature. So many fibers to explore!
Hello from LC Farmers Market! ;) I enjoyed watching your video with your beautiful knits. I really appreciate your research on processes of wool. I'm heading to Flock and Fiber on Sunday! I'd be happy to have you join me. My sheep were sheared last week. Fingers crossed for a successful process. I'm going to look into some of the patterns you've mentioned in your video. You've inspired this seasonal knitter.
What fun! I'd love to see you. (Is this Nancy?) I'm going to be hearing back from my knitting group this afternoon as to whether they can go, so will know soon what my schedule is.
Hy Kathy, thank you for your podcast, i very much enjoy your focus and color world. There are not so many cold color podcasters out there...Re viscose, as far as i am informed, the brand Tencel by an austrian company Lenzig (r)evolutioned the viscose business. Over here in Germany any serious producer of eco friendly, sustainable wear uses this fabric, if they wanna use this style of drape and texture. Maybe they provide more info on what makes them special and ecofriendly.
I have been really enjoying your posts, and your extra titbits, the show and book ideas. I am new to knitting, since Covid, so hearing personal experiences with different wools is very helpful, Thank you. I am originally from Mendocino county, but living in the Netherlands for the past 6 years so it is also a treat to hear from someone from the north coastal area.
Have fun at the oregon sheep and wool. I had my munich yarn fibre festival last week, it was so cool. Will do a fade shawl or pullover in a rustic lace single from german and austrian sheep in four sheep "colors", luckily leaning towards the colder greys...bye
I’ve chosen to only use superwash for socks and possibly stopping that too. I like choice and I have chosen natural fibers. I think, given the opportunity to try a variety of materials, most people will end up making the choice of natural fibers too. Soon I will try mohair as a replacement for nylon in my socks.
PS i am all into nsw yarn, currently knitting the twist and turn mkal with finish wool dyed by mominoki. BuT...no(t so many) variegated and speckeled yarns available, the dyers just start to explore how to come to more lively color ways in nsw, it is not as easy or doable it seems
Cathy, I love what a great fit your Moxie is on you. Thanks for the interesting superwash yarn information, you are so informative.
Hearing all the wool festivals chatter is making me thing I should plan a vacation around one next year. I'll be visiting Washington in a few weeks, I'm looking forward to visiting some LYS.
Another lovely and informative podcast. Thank you!
Thank you
All you said was very interesting. Like you I try to live as green and sustainable a life as I can. Striving to learn. I have to say I feel that there is a lot of green wash going on with all the cellulose yarns. The viscose and rayons are as you said so toxic but the core material can be quite green. I steer away from any viscose, I love the idea of felted tweed especially with their amazing colours but at my grand old age :) I feel that it's ok not to have a lovely thing. I will live. There are lovely yarns everywhere that fit my way of life better. Same with the superwash ones. And I hear you about the pilling merino. Such a pain. Anyway, so lovely to hear about your projects. Enjoy the autumn. Catherine
Thanks, Catherine! I have to say that even when you try very hard to get accurate information about a yarn and know how to do research, it is not easy to find it! And you are so wise to point out that it is okay not to have a lovely thing which I accept in most other areas of life. A friend of mine once said you can "own it" while you look at it or hold it. I love hearing from you.
I enjoyed your podcast. Thanks for sharing how the yarn preformed after wearing it awhile. We always hear about how great a yarn is to knit with but not the longtime wearability of it. I too was a jealous watching Selma & the others take a weekend trip to wool show in Vermont. I haven’t been able to travel too much because I take care of my 97 year old Dad. Be sure you do some video of your Oregon Fiber show.
Thank you, Patty. Taking care of your father is such a great thing.
Hello Kathy. I’ve been enjoying listening to you and seeing your knits. Even though I’m across the water in the U.k.I still like hearing about your local yarn. The pressed flower cardigan is so beautiful and I look forward to seeing yours.
i enjoyed watching today, as always. thanks for the information on superwash yarns. i should’ve known that plastic was used. such a sorry state of affairs…plastic everywhere. well, thankfully we have alternatives. happy fall, kathy - it means more knitting! 🍂🍁🧶
I've been wanting to knit the Pressed Flowers shawl for a while now, but, like you, am now thinking of doing the cardigan...it's pretty sweet looking. This past 18 months I think the biggest lesson I've learned is that I should pay attention and steer away from superwash. There's the environmental reasons, of course, but also my dissatisfaction with the end product. Two examples...last year I did the Stephen West MKAL with a superwash kit...lovely to work with and very pretty. But...for an already large shawl, it just keeps getting bigger and bigger! The same with my Magnolia Bloom sweater....I was so looking forward to that sweater, and I loved knitting it. I used Malabrigo Rios. Even just wearing it twice, it stretched so that the lovely yoke was soon below my bust. I resorted to washing it and drying slightly in the machine. It shrunk bit too much, but I can still wear it around the house...plus it felted slightly. I am knitting this year's MKAL with a beautiful non-superwash, 70%wool/30%mohair, and I'm loving it. I'm going to take a look at that scarf pattern you mention...sounds good!
Wow, Sandra! Those shawls are already so big, which is what has stopped me from joining the MKAL. And your Magnolia Bloom! What a gorgeous design. You are making a good choice this year with your MKAL yarn. I think blends are really a great way to go.
Kathy thank you for your podcasts i realy enjoy listening to you. I live in Tasmania an island south of mainland Australia. We are best known for apple growing and fine merino wool.Merino wool was and the sheep are bread for a low micron count mean super fine wool used in fine suite fabric . It has fine and short stapple so this is where the pilling comes from.Merino wool was never intended for outdoor garments. It is only used now for knitting in our quest for softer and softer wool. It is fein for shawls or garments with little rubbing but for jumpers and cardigans you are better of with a wool blend. I hope this info helps
Hi Kathy! Enjoy listening to your knitting journey😊. Was hoping to hear an update on your Útivist, since I just happened to buy yarn with that jacket on mind. Have fun at the Oregon Sheep and Wool festival.
I love the pattern but haven't gotten past the dreaming stage. The designer wrote a wonderful introduction to the pattern that made me laugh. It's her description of the fabric, which is Icelandic wool. Beautiful sweater!
I really enjoyed your conversation about yarn content and how yarns are processed. I am trying to use more natural yarns. I have mainly knit baby sweaters over the years so lots of acrylic or washable blends). My skin is really sensitive, so many woolly wools just don’t work for me if I actually plan to wear things next to skin. It’s a challenge that I keep working on to find the perfect yarn for me.
Jennifer, this year I've found myself using more nonsuperwash blends, which has been fun to explore. Also, some wools are just a lot softer by nature. So many fibers to explore!
Hello from LC Farmers Market! ;) I enjoyed watching your video with your beautiful knits. I really appreciate your research on processes of wool. I'm heading to Flock and Fiber on Sunday! I'd be happy to have you join me. My sheep were sheared last week. Fingers crossed for a successful process. I'm going to look into some of the patterns you've mentioned in your video. You've inspired this seasonal knitter.
What fun! I'd love to see you. (Is this Nancy?) I'm going to be hearing back from my knitting group this afternoon as to whether they can go, so will know soon what my schedule is.
I found your number and will send you a text
Hy Kathy, thank you for your podcast, i very much enjoy your focus and color world. There are not so many cold color podcasters out there...Re viscose, as far as i am informed, the brand Tencel by an austrian company Lenzig (r)evolutioned the viscose business. Over here in Germany any serious producer of eco friendly, sustainable wear uses this fabric, if they wanna use this style of drape and texture. Maybe they provide more info on what makes them special and ecofriendly.
That's so interesting. I definitely would like to learn more about it.
I’m also doing that fun Set Adrift Shawl. That book that it comes from is so nice. Really enjoy your videos.
I have been really enjoying your posts, and your extra titbits, the show and book ideas. I am new to knitting, since Covid, so hearing personal experiences with different wools is very helpful, Thank you. I am originally from Mendocino county, but living in the Netherlands for the past 6 years so it is also a treat to hear from someone from the north coastal area.
Thank you! Some of the other commenters have some very useful stories and information to report about yarn below.
Have fun at the oregon sheep and wool. I had my munich yarn fibre festival last week, it was so cool. Will do a fade shawl or pullover in a rustic lace single from german and austrian sheep in four sheep "colors", luckily leaning towards the colder greys...bye
I’ve chosen to only use superwash for socks and possibly stopping that too. I like choice and I have chosen natural fibers. I think, given the opportunity to try a variety of materials, most people will end up making the choice of natural fibers too. Soon I will try mohair as a replacement for nylon in my socks.
What was the yarn that pilled so bad, you didn’t say what the yarn content was or the name of the yarn ❓
Sorry, I thought I said, but I'm always surprised by what I forget! It was Stonehedge Fiber Mill Shepherd's Wool. 100% merino
PS i am all into nsw yarn, currently knitting the twist and turn mkal with finish wool dyed by mominoki. BuT...no(t so many) variegated and speckeled yarns available, the dyers just start to explore how to come to more lively color ways in nsw, it is not as easy or doable it seems